


Stay With Me

by dark__swan



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, CS fluff?, Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I'm really bad at tags, boop, cs angst, dark!emma flashbacks, i'm not even sure atm, season 5, something captain swan okay?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-03-30 16:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3942916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark__swan/pseuds/dark__swan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been seven months since Emma Swan became the Dark One to save the town of Storybrooke. After a True Love's Kiss from Killian Jones, she has returned to her life, although she's suffering from PTSD. Her days as the Dark One have impacted not just those around her, but Emma's entire existence. She remembers things, things that haunt her because of the horror she's inflicted. - <br/>Killian is there to help her adjust back into society, but the trauma she's suffered makes it very difficult. Emma knows she's hurt people and can't forgive herself, even when almost everyone else has forgiven HER. Will she be able to embrace the support her family is willing to give her, or will her walls go up stronger than ever?<br/>--<br/>If you guys like this, please let me know, because I could be talked into adding one or two more chapters in:)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Prompt - Hook asking Emma to stay the night after he finally gets her back (s5)" - ANONYMOUS (Tumblr)

**_"Emma?"_**

_"Killian?"_

_**"I love you."**_

_"I love you, too."_

_\---_

   It had been seven months. Seven months of walking through hell to find a way to save Emma from the Dark One's curse, but Killian Jones had never given up hope. He stayed faithful, and unlike the last curse that separated them, he didn't leave her parents. Rather, Mary Margaret wouldn't let him. She was always there to make sure he was still holding on, and although the chances of him admitting his gratitude were slim, he was glad she did.

   Robin, Regina, Henry, David, and Mary Margaret sat at a booth at Grannys (and while Killian was quite fond of the elderly woman's diner, he often wondered why it was the only restaurant in town). Emma had slid in on the end while Killian ordered hot cocoa at the counter. He thought rum was too heavy a drink for this evening, and what he was about to ask, well, let's just say it would be a good idea to keep Emma sober.

   Thanking Ruby, Killian held one mug in the crook of his left elbow and took the other in his hand. He walked over to the booth and nudged Emma, signaling her to slide over. He passed her a cup, setting his down as well, then returned to the counter for the cinnamon shaker.

   Taking his seat next to her, he took a sip of his hot cocoa and closed his eyes as the liquid warmed him up inside. Reaching under the table, he took her free hand and laced their fingers together. The gesture made Emma look over at him with a grateful smile, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. He moved his head and rested it against the top of hers, running his thumb across the smooth skin on the back of her hand. He smiled, realizing that if she was comfortable enough to show this much affection in front of her parents, she really  _did_ care for him.

\---

   The celebration went on for not much longer, and then the group was outside, saying their goodbyes. Although he could tell Henry wanted to spend time with his mother, the boy also knew she was tired (the Dark One didn't need much sleep, and now the fatigue had caught up with her, which was evident in the way she walked and spoke), so he offered to stay the night with Regina and come over in the afternoon tomorrow. He let Emma's hand go as she stepped forward, hugging Henry and thanking Regina for everything she had done while Emma was cursed. As the three walked away, she turned to her parents, letting out a yawn.

   "Let's go. I'm exhausted," the blonde said, her voice slow. Mary Margaret nodded with a smile and they turned, leading the way back to the apartment. Realizing it was now or never, Killian spoke up.

   "Actually, Emma, I was wondering if...it's alright if you don't want to, but...would you perhaps like to spend the night with me on the Jolly Roger?" He lifted his hook to scratch behind his ear, then looked in her eyes, searching for her answer. Emma kept quiet as she studied his face with a vague expression. "I know it's not as warm as your bed, but-"

   "I would love to, Killian." Her answer was almost a whisper, but Killian heard it, causing a big smile to grow on his lips. He kissed her forehead softly, then looked ahead at David and Mary Margaret, who had noticed their absence. The prince and princess stood a few yards ahead, facing them.

   "You might want to tell your parents about the change of plans. Your father would stab me again if he wasn't informed."

   "Again?" Emma asked, then smirked at the joke. "It wasn't real, Killian."

   "Like I said, lass. I don't intend on letting him live it down any time soon. Now come on."

   They walked hand in hand until they were a few feet from the Charmings. Stopping, Emma explained the situation while David stared down the pirate with a protective look. As they turned to leave, Killian heard a voice.

   "Pirate."

   "Dave."

   "Watch out for her."

   "Always."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys asked for it, so here's chapter two.  
> \---  
> Killian and Emma get to the Jolly Roger and end up talking about some things.

   They took their time getting to the docks, mainly because Emma was getting drowsier by the minute, and when they finally arrived, Killian was carrying her. One arm under her legs, the other against her back, he couldn't help but remember the last time he had held her like this. Elsa had just let down the ice wall and Emma wasn't able to walk, albeit the circumstances were very different.

   "Love, I can't carry you down the ladder. Do you think you can make it?" Killian asked, looking down at her. She lifted her head and hummed an agreeing sound, moving to stand on her own. He released her legs and smiled. "I'll head down first, if that's alright." Turning, he led the way to the captain's quarters and waited for her to follow. Her footsteps thudded on each wooden rung, finally reaching the bottom as she spun around to face him. They stood like this for a moment before she grabbed his jacket and pulled him to her, kissing his lips passionately.

   Emma walked forward as their lips stayed connected, forcing Killian to step back until they reached the bed.

   "Emma, not tonight," He said strictly. Emma groaned with frustration.

   "I love you, and I know you want this. Being the Dark One didn't mean I forgot how I feel about you," She replied, leaning forward to kiss him again. Taking one of her hands in his, Killian pulled away, shaking his head. He used his hook to hold her to him as he switched places with her, leaning her down on the bed and climbing atop of her.

   "You have no idea how much I want to do this with you, Emma. But you're exhausted and your family will want to see you tomorrow. You need to rest. We have all the time in the world, remember?"

   Emma huffed and tilted her head to the side, avoiding eye contact. She had a child-like frown on her lips and her eyebrows furrowed together. Sighing, Killian rolled off her and lifted her legs onto his lap, unlacing each boot individually.

   "Don't be upset with me, love. I just got you back, and I would love to make love to you, but it might be better if you were awake. For BOTH of our enjoyment." One shoe was tossed to the floor, resulting in a loud thump. He stripped a sock from her aching foot and went to work on the other one.

   "I know. I just missed you," Emma said, her voice soft. Killian looked up at her with a gentle smile.

   "You saw me nearly every day, Swan, remember?" The other shoe and sock hit the floor.

   "Of course I do, but...that wasn't  _me_. I mean, it was, but it was also something else. The Dark One controlled most of my emotions, and I let it, because it was easier than seeing you and knowing I couldn't have you." Before Emma realized a tear had fallen, she felt Killian's thumb brush against her cheek, wiping it away. He was beside her now and helping her sit up as he slid off her jacket and threw it across the end of the bed.

   "You do have me, love, and you always will, no matter what. I love you. Have for some time now. Don't think one little curse is going to change that."

   Emma smiled as he helped her under the blankets, settling himself underneath as well. Her body moved closer to him: one leg in between his, an arm around his waist, her head against his chest.

   "Do you mind if I...um...took off my hook? I don't want to injure you-" Emma immediately pulled back and gave him a stern look.

   "Why would I care, Killian? Your heart is the only thing I care about. Everything else is just a bonus." She kissed him sweetly before rolling onto her back, holding his severed arm with her hands. Carefully, she unbuckled each clasp before taking the brace off. The rounded stump was wrapped in a white bandage, and she raised it to her lips, pressing a chaste kiss to the tip before handing him the hook. "Here."

   After putting it on the dresser next to his bed, Killian searched her eyes for the answer to his unasked question.

   "Why doesn't it bother you?"

   Emma sighed. "Because I didn't fall in love with your hand, Killian. I fell in love with  _you_. Now go to sleep. Like you said, everyone will want to see me tomorrow, and _I_ plan on spending a little more time making up for the past seven months."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys want another chapter, please leave a comment (or Kudos).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Per request, here is another chapter of Stay With Me. There will be cuteness, there will be bonding, there will be angst. All this, and more!
> 
> *EDIT after writing the chapter* DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING I TOLD YOU IN THE DESCRIPTION. DON'T DO IT. YOU WILL CRY. Okay, not really, but I just got carried away, so now this chapter is basically about Emma trying to let her family in. After all, she's done terrible things as the Dark One and that has taken a toll on her. Just a brief glimpse into the past months is shown in this chapter, so you can bet she has 216 (yes, I did the math. I can do that sometimes) more days full of these memories.

   Emma woke with a gasp, clutching the sheets in clammy fists. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She knew Killian was beside her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. A small part of her feared he was gone and she would be alone again, just like those seven months of hell...

   She couldn't help but pull her knees to her chest and holding them with her arms, leaning forward into them. Emma began to take deep breaths as she tried calming herself down. She knew she would have nightmares, but she didn't know just how bad they would be, and if this is what it would be like for even a week, Emma didn't know how she was going to get any sleep at all.

\---

_She appeared in a cloud of dark ash, a cackle bursting from her lips as she looked into the eyes of the fairy. She didn't know which one it was; nor did she care. All she cared was that this woman, this...sad, pathetic woman, had tried to cast a spell to contain Emma. Well, Emma wasn't very fond of that. After all, she LIKED the Darkness. She LIKED the power, and if that disgusting little fly thought the Dark One wouldn't punish her, it seems her brain was smaller than Emma thought._

_Reaching out, Emma swirled her hand. The ground crumbled underneath the fairy until there was a hole deep enough for her to just...fall in._

_Holding the nun down with her magic, Emma began burying her alive, relishing in the screams that filled the vast night air. A smile formed as the last stone settled back in place, and with one last wave of her fingers, a barrier spell was placed - Emma's last detail to fulfill her plan. Turning away, she could hear the muffled cries of the soon-to-be-dead fairy._

\---

   Emma didn't realize she had begun sobbing as she recalled her dream involuntarily, as one does when faced with a nightmare. Killian stirred in his sleep, rolling over to see Emma shaking next to him. Bolting upright, Killian reached out to her.

   "Emma, love, what is it?" His voice was soothing and his fingertips brushed against her skin, urging her closer to him. The blonde looked over, her face red and blotchy.

   "I can't sleep. I don't want to..."

   "Come here." Pulling Emma to him, he wrapped both arms around her, positioning himself for her comfort as she moved her head to his chest. Rubbing up and down her arm with his hand, he kissed her softly on the forehead. "If you don't sleep, I'll be right here with you for as long as you need."

\---------------

   Both had gotten a total of five hours before Mary Margaret called, asking if Emma and Killian would be joining the family for breakfast at Grannys.

   "Do you mind if we just eat at home? I don't really want to be around the rest of the town at the moment. Not after...everything," Emma said quietly. On the other end of the phone, her mother sighed worriedly and gave a look to her husband before speaking.

   "Of course, Emma. Whatever makes you comfortable. Come over when you're ready. Henry, Regina, and Robin are already on their way over."

   After hanging up the phone, Emma went to work on putting her old clothes on. Killian had tossed everything on the end of the bed for her while he got ready, and he was still painting lines underneath his eyes with a kohl pencil he had bought ( _Really_ , Emma thought,  _he did care a lot about his looks_ ) when she zipped up her boots and got to her feet. Moving up behind him at his mirror, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, pressing her cheek against his back.

   "We're gonna need a LOT of coffee."

\---------------

   Half-an-hour later, they were standing at the door of Mary Margaret and David's apartment. Emma's fingers were curled into fists, her fingernails digging crescent moons into the skin beneath them. Eyes wide, she stared at the door, not knowing whether to knock or simply walk in. Everything she had done, everything she had said to her parents as the Dark One...the things she said to _Henry_...

   "Emma, it's alright. They're your parents. They'll always forgive you. And we all know it wasn't YOU that entire time, so please don't blame yourself for anything that happened. We missed you, and that's what your parents worked for - getting you back." Killian, again, was the voice of reason, but still, she didn't move. He turned the doorknob and pushed, then took Emma's fist and uncurled it, lacing their fingers together as he did so often now. It was comforting, that small touch. That's what would keep her grounded throughout this (what would you call it? PTSD? She didn't know); his touch. The pirate led her into the living room, which caught the eye of the residents and guests of the home.

   "Emma, we're glad you made it." Her mother was hugging her before Emma took in what was going on, and she hugged back even with the voice in the back of her head nagging her, telling her to stop, telling her she might accidentally hurt Mary Margaret. And then David came, and then Henry. Regina and Robin hung back, setting the rest of the plates down on the table as Emma reunited with her family. Emma didn't really understand why they felt the need to crowd her: couldn't they see she was there? Didn't they see her last night? She had missed them as well, but was she the only one feeling claustrophobic in all of this?

   Of course she was, because she was damaged. She didn't want her walls to go back up and fought tooth and nail against them, but it was difficult. Too much was happening...

   And then she felt Killian's fingers with hers again. Her eyes closed and she rested her head against his shoulder momentarily to pull herself back down to Earth. She needed to do this. She needed to become a part of her family again. They cared about her. They did. And she wouldn't let the darkness win again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, Kudos/comment (my personal favorite) if you want more. I would LOVE to hear what you guys want, and to @bettyadinnye, I will most definitely be writing as much of your requests as possible. I can't believe people actually care that much about this fic (it was just supposed to be a one-shot for my Tumblr followers)  
> \---  
> Tumblr: @dark--swan (previously @emma-is-hooked, in case you know me by that name)  
> Instagram: @megan_ashley_official  
> Vine: Quirky Nirk


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After breakfast, Henry talks Emma into going for a walk to a place that he believes will help her remember that people love her. This chapter is a whole-lotta Swan Believer and Henry trying to get Emma to let her walls down again. A small bonding scene that I just wrote and now I hate it but you guys said you wanted people to help Emma with her worries and such, so Henry is the first piece to that puzzle.

   By the time breakfast had finished, Emma felt as though at any moment, she would explode into nothing. Henry's stare dug into her, his dark eyes meeting hers each time she glanced over. She would brush it off with a smile, but the look he was giving her was something Emma had become all-too-familiar with. It was one of worry, not for himself, but for his mother.

   Henry was always perceptive, an inherited trait that gave him an advantage in life, so her fake displays of happiness didn't slide by unnoticed. Taking a few dishes in one hand and his mug in another, he stood, walking past his grandmother to the sink where he began rinsing syrup and bits of egg off the plates. He did this as a ruse while forming a plan in his mind. Obviously, Emma was stressed, and truthfully, she had every reason to be. The things she did were terrifying and the complete opposite of what she had been until the Dark One, but he didn't care. He knew it wasn't her fault. Unfortunately, he knew she still blamed herself, and in the end, that's who she listened to the most.

   Life used to be a LOT simpler. School, homework, occasional searches for how to find birth mothers...now, with everything he had been through, Henry went through periods of time wishing everything had stayed as it was. But after Emma came, after he got to know her through afternoons at his castle to short walks to school -

   That was it! She just needed to remember how close they were. Pushing down on the faucet's lever, Henry reached for a hand towel, wiping the drops of water from his fingertips before spinning around.

   "Mom?" A nudge from the dark-haired man sitting beside her pulled Emma from her thoughts. Even before all this Dark One stuff happened, the blonde would sit for hours on her bed, retreating inside her mind. It was sort of like self-hypnosis for her. After all, being moved to a new foster home was scary, but each time, she'd find a new way to comfort herself.

   "Hmm?" Emma's eyes drifted to where Henry stood now. "What's up, kid?" Her voice was detached, as though she was holding back from fully interacting with her son, but that didn't put Henry off of his mission.

   "I want to show you something. Will you come?" Henry had an excited grin on his face, and Emma couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips upwards in return. But...was this really a good idea? She couldn't help herself from looking to her left at Killian, who was grinning as well.

   "Don't worry, love," the pirate said, giving an encouraging nod. "I'll help your parents clean up." Leaning over, he pecked her on the lips, then waved a hand dismissively. "Go on. We've got this."

\---

   Henry had a bounce in his step as they wandered down a back alleyway. Emma had asked him if they could avoid the rest of the town (although she didn't specifically use that word), and the boy was more than willing to comply. This was about helping  _her_ , and any way he could make her more comfortable, he would. The blonde kept asking where they were going, but he would deflect the questions with a vague response - "Just wait", "We're almost there", "It'll be good, you'll see" - and continue walking. Jokes, life updates, weird facts...he would say anything to distract her.

   After nearly twenty minutes of walking, Emma looked up from her feet, finally realizing where they were. It was the beach, but not just a plain, sandy patch of land. They were at his castle.

   "Henry..." she said, her face twisted into a grateful-yet-confused manner. "Why are we here?" Her son didn't answer; instead, he ran ahead and climbed up the creaky stairs, sitting on the edge of the structure. She could see him pat his hand on an empty spot beside him, and she chuckled (actually  _chuckled_ ) at the gesture, making her way up to him.

   Their legs hung over the side, swinging in the ocean breeze that drifted onto the mainland.

   "Mom, what do you remember? From when you were...you know," Henry asked, not looking at her. He knew she would begin to close off if she felt confronted, so he let her take her time answering.

\---

_Henry had stepped in front of Regina, who lie unconscious on the street, blocking Emma from proceeding with murder._

_"Mom, you don't have to do this," his voice was shaky, but he didn't budge from where he stood._

_"She ruined my life, Henry. She ruined YOUR life. If it wasn't for her, all of us would have stayed together, right from the start. Move out of the way. I don't want to hurt you." A flashing ball of black and gray appeared in the palm of the Dark One's hand, but her eyebrows were furrowed in a protective way. That was what scared Henry the most. He could see her humanity in bits and pieces, but the drive for revenge and power over-rid all her emotions._

_"You don't have to hurt anyone! You forgave her before. I know that you don't remember what it feels like to let go of a grudge, but you need to find it again! Please! **She's** my mom, too."_

_Emma growled, the magic in her hand dissolving into nothing._

_"I WILL find her, Henry. And when I do, you won't get in my way again."_

_With a swirl of black smoke, she was gone._

\---

"Enough." Emma's answer was simple and quiet as she stared ahead at the trees that separated the town from the shore.

"Me too." Those two words caused the woman to look over at Henry. She had hurt him, even if it wasn't physically. And she could never make up for it. But, as though reading her thoughts, he spoke again. "You know none of us hate you, right?"

   "Henry, it's not about that," she tried to deny. He looked over at her with an unbelieving expression.

   "Yes it is. But it's okay. Grandma and Grandpa were worried about you, but they knew you couldn't control everything. We all saw you in there, but we didn't see ALL of _you_ in there. Make sense?"

   Emma laughed at the condescending remark at the end of his statement, briefly letting her walls down as she smiled and closed her eyes, remembering the old days where curses and villains and weird magic storybooks didn't exist. She could feel Henry watching her, but for the first time in the past two days, it didn't bother her so much. Opening one eye, she leaned over and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him into her. He wasn't small enough to rest his head against her anymore.

   "Yeah. Makes sense."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has interacted with me via Kudos and comments in the past...oh god, has it only been three days? So effing weird...ANYWAYYY, I am astonished by how much you guys seem to like this fic and will continue to write it so long as you continue to show interest.  
> \---  
> Tumblr: @dark--swan (previously @emma-is-hooked)  
> Instagram: @megan_ashley_official  
> Vine: quirky nirk


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina is still hesitant to be near Emma because of what happened between them during the past seven months. Emma has worked too hard on their friendship to let Regina push her away, and asks Regina if she'd be willing to talk.

   The walk home was easier. After their conversation on the playground, Henry had told Emma about everything that had happened in his life while she was gone. New friendships, grades, crushes (which Emma was particularly curious about - Henry was still too young in her mind to be thinking about girls, although he definitely didn't feel that way)...and her world felt like it had gone back to normal. Her and Henry talking about nonsense, laughing and smiling - it was definitely something she had missed. She hadn't allowed herself near him while she was the Dark One. All of her feelings were still there, and she loved him as much as the curse would let her. Hurting him was never what she wanted to do, although that's what she did in the end, anyway.

   But he refused to let her think such dark things in his presence. Every time he sensed her putting a wall between them, he would crack a joke or tell a new story about his baby uncle, and Emma's walls would crumble again. She'd laugh and ruffle his hair, then laugh harder as he fixed it with a frustrated groan. Emma was grateful he had found her all those years ago (had it already been five?). If he hadn't, she would most likely still be alone, not trusting anyone or anything to make it's way into her heart for fear of it breaking her like her parents broke her (at the time, she still believed she'd been abandoned), or like Neal broke her.

\---------------

   The doorknob turned under Emma's hand and she finally felt at home again. This is where she belonged, this is where her family was, where her friends were, where Killian was. She let Henry walk in first so she could close the door. Regina and Mary Margaret sat on the couch. From what Emma could hear, they were discussing a new hair salon that Tinkerbell was opening on Main Street. Regina sounded skeptical of Tink's skills but Mary Margaret was enthusiastic, going on about Tinkerbell following her dreams or something.

   Killian and Robin sat at the counter while David washed dishes. Emma turned her attention to them and smiled to herself as she heard Killian telling one of the stories from his pirating days. She'd heard the story many times before; it was his favorite to tell and he told it to anyone who was willing. Robin listened intently as her father scrubbed syrup off a plate from that morning, his eyes lifting every so often to signal he was still engaged in the conversation. Her pirate raised his hook in the air, seemingly miming a fight he had been a part of.

   As the door closed behind her, all eyes turned to Emma, most filled with excitement. Mary Margaret smiled gently but made no move to get up.  _Killian must have told her,_ Emma thought to herself, but smiled back, indicating she appreciated the thought. And then she was being hugged as Hook wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose against her neck, breathing in deeply. Her arms snaked around his waist and her fingers softly stroked up and down his spine. After a few moments like this, he pulled away.

   "How was your walk, love?"

   Emma smiled and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Perfect, actually." Her eyes found Henry, who was back at the table, eating the last few pieces of bacon. She'd never understand teenage boys; they were ALWAYS eating. "Henry knows how to calm me down, I guess."

   "Of course he does. You're one and the same, your boy and you," Killian replied with his usual lilting voice. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I'd like you in a good mood if more enjoyable activities are on the menu for tonight." The last sentence he whispered in her ear, making her heart skip a beat and close her eyes.

   "Hey, Emma," David's voice said loudly, obviously noticing the change in her body language (and not being very happy with it). "Glad you're back."

   "Me too," Emma answered with a smile, pushing Killian aside playfully. She began to walk to the counter when she felt a pair of eyes upon her. Looking to her right, she saw Regina staring at her. As soon as they made eye contact, Regina looked away, answering whatever Mary Margaret had asked. "Killian, give me a sec."

\---------------

_"Henry isn't here to save you, Regina," Emma's voice sang tauntingly. "And we both know your powers are no match for mine."_

_"Emma, I'm truly sorry for what I did to you and your parents. I was blinded by vengeance, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but -"_

_"You're right," The Dark One interrupted. "You DON'T deserve my forgiveness. You don't deserve my mom's forgiveness. And after all that time, making Henry think he was insane so he wouldn't catch onto you? You don't deserve his, either. You think you can get a happy ending after you ripped everyone else's away? That's not how this works, Regina." Emma raised a fist, slowly uncurling it as black smoke assembled in the palm of her hand._

_"Please, Emma. If you do this, Henry will never forgive you." Regina's voice was terrified and weak. Her magic could never defeat Emma, but she wouldn't die without a fight._

_"Your begging does nothing. You know, I never really liked you." Emma paced back and forth in front of the former-Evil Queen. Regina concentrated on her powers and two clouds of purple smoke appeared in her hands. "It's true. I put up with you for the sake of Henry, but seeing as I'll never truly be with him again, I can at least make sure he stays out of YOUR hands."_

_Just as Emma lifted her arm to kill Regina, she heard a voice. HIS voice._

_"Dark One, I command you to not harm Regina."_

\---------------

   Emma leaned against the back of the couch, looking down at Regina. The older woman looked up nervously.

   "Regina, could I talk to you? We can stay here if you want." Mary Margaret nodded slightly at her stepmother with an encouraging look before standing.

   "I'll help David with the dishes. If either of you need something, let me know." Emma could tell that statement was mostly for Regina, but she didn't mind. If she were in her friend's shoes right now, the blonde would be terrified. Moving around to the front of the couch, Emma sat as far as possible from the dark-haired woman, not wanting to scare her.

   "Regina, I know apologizing won't really do anything, not after what I've done - what I've _tried_ to do to you." Regina's eyes were in her lap, watching her fingers twirl around each other. "But please, don't think I would ever hurt you without the Dark One powers. Everything I said; all that magic inside me heightened my emotions and I couldn't stop myself. I've worked too hard to be your friend, and I won't give up, okay?"

   The queen looked up with a pained smile. "I know you didn't mean it, Emma. And I forgive you. It's just hard -"

   "I know! I know. And I'm not asking you to trust me or be around me as much as we used to. I'm just asking that you keep your heart open so maybe someday I can be your friend again. Do you think that's possible?"

   Regina nodded. "Of course."

   Emma sighed and stood, looking over at Killian. "You ready to go?" With a nod from the pirate, they said their goodbyes and made their way back to the Jolly Roger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry that I haven't written in so long! I wasn't motivated because I didn't really get many people asking for another chapter. But then I found this lovely review for this story (http://kelpieskorner.com/2015/06/06/story-spotlight-stay-with-me/), and that gave me the motivation to write another chapter. But please, if you like this chapter, let me know! I really need to know people want more, otherwise I won't feel like writing more. Even just by leaving Kudos, you send me a message that says "Please write another chapter!"  
> \---  
> Tumblr: @dark--swan  
> Instagram: @megan_ashley_official


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